Media Media andand Nationalist Nationalist SentimentsSentiments

inin Contemporary RussiaContemporary Russia

Nazism in Russia: Statistics• More than 50 000 Skinheads /about 70 000 in all other countries of the world/

• More than 90 Nazi movements

• Killed/beaten by Nazi attacks (2005) – 36/401 - Caucasians – 9/52 - Central Asia -11/28 - Blacks - 3/27 - Middle East - 1/16 - Asians – 4/57 - Others – 8/221

Nationalist parties

Media

Xenophobic Sentiments Public Opinion

V.V.P.

“Stat

e’s

orde

r”propaganda

V.PUTIN

propaganda

How Media ‘contributes’• Exacerbating preexisting fears and prejudices – massive attack on human minds (through TV-talk shows, serials,

criminal chronics, newspapers)

• Ethnization of enemy (news, Serials, Criminal Programs)

• Legitimizing Nazis (serious talk show “Vremena”), entertainment talk-shows and events with Zjirinovskiy)

• Devaluating the problem (entertainment talk-shows)

• Giving air to ‘pure’ propaganda (electoral campaigns and more)

• Creating “us-they” dichotomy (newspapers)

Features of Media in Contemporary Russia

• Dependence – Government and Nationalists’ Orders

• Bureaucracy • Commercialism • Non-professionalism - Absence of

“Educational” effect

ConclusionNews block:1. showing criminal report about Chechen drug-

dealers. Pictures of Chechens captured by police officers and packs of drugs all around – the image of “bad” Chechen

2. skinheads beating peaceful Chechen merchants in the market-place

3. add here the official Presidential speech on “how we all should fight Chechen terrorism”.

Result:• Growing xenophobia, racist violence by persons

having nothing to do with right-wing radical groups.

WHAT REALLY STANDS BEHIND RUSSIAN MEDIA?

Resources

• www.humanrightsfirst.org• www.xeno.sova-center.ru• www.osce.org• www.interethnic.org